Reminders

I've been thinking a lot about resolutions.  I'm the person who forces my family to sit down and make "goals" for the upcoming year...aka resolutions.  We all list out a few things, we would like to accomplish in the upcoming year.    Looking at our lists from the year before to see all the things we didn't accomplish is somewhat of a let down.  I'm a total perfectionist and it always bothers me when I didn't tick off each "goal". 

Now, I'm not totally against this New Year's tradition.  In fact, I think it's an awesome thing to look forward with anticipation of great things in the upcoming months.  It generates this excitement, but sadly that lasts until......maybe the end of January, if you're lucky or really pumped up. 

Well, I've been thinking.

Life is like a hike.  It's a journey with a destination.  We live near the Great Smoky Mountains and really enjoy hiking there.  When you come to the trailhead, most have these brown signs that tell you the name of the trail and how long it is, as well as any connecting trails.  You basically stay on the path until you see another sign.  Then, you decide which direction you want to travel next.  It's still handy to have a map because even with signs you can sometimes get off track.  Most of the time though, the signs serve as a reminder you are still on the path.  A reassurance you are headed in the direction you want to go.

What if we gave ourselves reminders instead of making resolutions.  Reassurances to keep us heading in the right direction.

I decided to brainstorm some words that would serve as reminders to myself in this upcoming year.  Habits I want to encourage, instead of resolutions that discourage.

Pray

Sing

Bold

Connect

Slow Down

Engage

Invite

Touch

Laugh

Praise

Create

Play

Narrow the list down to the ones that are really important.

Type out a little sign with the word and key phrase or Scripture.  Signalling whatever that word means to you.  I did leave my descriptions somewhat vague, because I don't want to fall into the trap of marking things off my list again. 

Post those in places around the house, where you can't miss them.  For example, Connect will go on the bottom of my computer screen, because I'm the least connected with people when I'm surfing. 

Here are my signs:

Connect:

Touch:  I really want to make it a point this year to be more hands-on with my family.  We are a pretty huggy family already, but sometimes I think the older ones don't really get their fair share of meaningful touch.

Slow Down:  I put this sign going up the stairs.  Bedtime rituals get pretty overwelming for me, so I really need to be reminded during this time to slow down. 

Pray:  Last year, I struggled finding my niche with my personal devotions. So I placed this sign on my alarm clock as a reminder to pray and read my Bible before my feet touch the floor.

Sing:  I love to sing, but the craziness of life sometimes crowds out my desire to do this.  But it's also a release valve for me and I feel so much better when I do it.

Laugh:  I'm quite a serious person at times...too serious sometimes.  I want to be reminded to stop and laugh at myself and all the corny little jokes my kids tell me. 

Create: This can mean lots of things- crafting, baking, music making- whatever I feel like doing.  It may not happen on a daily basis, but I want to remember it's importance. 

Deuteronomy 11:19-20 talks about the commandments of God and instructs the Jewish people to:

"Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates...." 

Instead of resolutions, I think I'll go with reminders-reminders of what's really important!

Christmas

   Presents

Santa gifts 

Stockings 

Trying out her new face painting set!

Pirate Tera!

Christmas- Kid's Presents

Our kids make or pick out presents for everyone, so we always open those first.  Usually small things like a paintset or something they have made.  I love the joy on their face as the other person is opening their gift.  Their sacrifice of love.  It's so cool!

The first present we opened was to Michael from Daniel, because both of them couldn't wait any longer. 

Tera used our Badge Factory and Lego Club magazines to make Star Wars badges for Daniel's back pack and she sewed a drawstring bag to keep them in.  Daniel knitted Tera a hat but then forget to close the end.  But it's the thought that counts!

If you've ever been in my kitchen, you might have noticed two wax paper, crayon filled, handprints hanging from fishing line.  JP made these with Tera and Daniel's pictures in them, when they were probably 4 and 2.  They are faded, wrinkled and almost bleached.  I have been hinting--no flat out asking for a new set with all 3 kids' handprints since Michael was born.  My beautiful, wonderful daughter fulfilled my wish and made them for me this year.  They are so beautifully awesome. She used primary colors so they would be really bright and spent at least a week making crayon shavings.  (I know you are not supposed to have a favorite present, so don't tell anyone I said this....but this is my most favorite thing I  received this year.  It's my three little babies...you can't get any better than that.)

Tera and Daniel both got JP coffee related items.  I had a free credit for a photo mug, so Tera designed a mug with their picture on it.  Daniel got a new pod holder for his coffee pods.   I love my husband so much, but...he is so hard to photograph.  He always makes a really goofy face right before I take the picture...I wonder where Daniel gets it. 

Tera passed down a lap chalkboard/dry erase easel to Michael. 

One of my favorites--a popcorn tin from Daniel and Michael

Traditions

I've been enjoying living life this week without the pressures of blogging about life.  I didn't upload any of my pictures from Christmas Eve to present until today.  We had a very good Christmas---very relaxing.  I did most of my running around really early this year, so I didn't have any last minute craziness. 

The best thing I like about Christmas are all our traditions.  Christmas Eve, we put out our reindeer food (oatmeal and glitter).  This was Michael's first year to really get into this.  It was funny to watch him pinch the oatmeal and shake his little hand like he was sowing seeds. 

 Usually we have cinnamon rolls on Christmas day, then have a brunch instead of lunch.  This seemed like overkill, so we moved our cinnamon roll breakfast to Christmas Eve.  It worked great!  Definitely a new tradition.    I found a clone of Cinnabon icing.  Oh my, how delicious. 
   After the kids go to bed, Santa and his helper work hard to make everything just right.  Candy canes magically appear on the tree, mailboxes are filled, stockings, presents and Santa gifts are all arranged in their special places.   

The first peek...Christmas morning.

 The first peek is all they get, because we have more important things to do. Tera places Baby Jesus in the manger.
 Daniel lights our Advent candles and most importantly the Christ candle!
 Michael hangs our Christ symbol ornament on the Jesse Tree
 Then we read the Christmas story from Luke 2.
 That's how our Christmas morning begins, I love our Advent traditions that all culiminate on Christmas morning.